Rotary drier for clothes and the like



Get. 19 1926.

A. W. FARRELL.

ROTARY DRIER FOR CLOTHES AND THE LIKE Filed July 50 1925 Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES ARCHIE W. FARRELL, 0F DOWAGIAC, MICHIGAN.

ROTARY DRIER FOB CLOTHES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed July 30,

This invention has relation to a device which is particularly intended for laundering purposes, that is to say, it is especially intended to provide a centrifugal or rotary drier for extracting liquids and moisture from the garments and fibrous material in the operation of washing or laundering the same, and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement and combination of the various parts thereof as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

Among the objects of the invention is, the provision of means included in a rotary drier to'prevent what is commonly called hunting of the rotary member or clothes basket of the device.

Another object is to furnish means for self-centering the rotary member of the device a'nd also to afford adjusting means for assisting the rotary member or clothes basket to be held in the proper position and with a sufficient degree of tension upon its pivotal support or member.

Still another object of the invention is, to provide means for catching soap suds and water in the act of it being thrown from theclothes or garments within the clothes basketv by centrifugal force and retaining said suds or water for re-use if desired.

struction of the device and to render it of such nature as to be more compact than other devices of a similar character, yet highly efficient in its operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying explanation and description of the invention, which explanation will be more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which an embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it being understood, that modifications and changes therein may be resorted to without a departure from the spirit of the invention, so long as they fall within the scope of the a pen ed claims forming a part of this speci cation.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top lan view of adevioe embodying the inventlon, and 4 Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view 'of a rotary drier, showing its parts in about the positions they will occupy when in 1925. Serial No. 46.969.

use, and illustrating portions only ofthe supporting legs and a part only of the main drive shaft. 1

The corresponding numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

The reference numeral 3 designates a tank or vessel, which is preferably made of copper, but can be made of any other suitable non-magnetizable material and is usually cylindrical in shape as shown. This tank may be supported at a suitable height, by means of legs 4, arranged at proper points on its lower portion, and is provided near its wall in its bottom with a drain pipe 5, having a shut-off valve 6, which pipe is for the purpose of draining the tank of its liquid contents when desired.

At a suit-able distance above the floor or bottom 7 of the tank 3, the same is provided on the inner surface of its wall with an annular gutter or trough 8, which has an opening 9 communicating with a faucetlO, seated in the wall of the tank, and by preference directly above the drain pipe 5, before mentioned. This gutter lies closely against the inner surface of the wall of the tank 3 and may be supported thereby in any suitable manner and is for a purpose to be presently explained. A further object is to simplify the con- Located normally concentrically within the tank 3 is a rotatable member or clothes basket 11, whose upright wall is by preference perforated or made of reticulated material, as is clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, in which view, it will be observed that the clothes basket or rotatable member 11 is cylindrical in shape and has in its top a circular opening 12, forthe ready access and removal of garments or clothes and the like to be dried. The bottom or fioor 13 of the member 11 is imperforate and has upwardly extended from its central portion a cone-shaped hollow extension 14, the upper end of which terminates by preference, a.

slight distance below the upper edge of the vessel 3 and is provided with an opening 15 for the passage and movement laterally of an upright rod 16, extended upwardly through said opening from "the semi-spherical member 17, which supports the coneket'. Extending vertica-lly through the floors 7 and 13, respectively, of the tank and clothes shaped member 14, as well as the clothesbasbasket is a tube 18, which projects above the top of the basket in the member or extension 14, thereof to a point near its top. This tube is provided at its upper end with an annular, flange 19, which serves as a support and race way for a series of anti-friction balls 20, arranged in a circular row on said flange, so that the semi-spherical member 17 ma rest-thereon at its flat or lower portion. The flange 19 is rigidly fixed -to the tube 18, which tube is rigidly fixed at its lower portion to a circular plate or platform 21, which is situated at a suitable distance below the floor 7 of the tank 3, and may be supported by legs 22, or otherwise. Extended longitudinally through the tube 18 is a shaft 23, which is provided at its ends betweensaid shaft and the tube 18 with bushings 24 and 25, 'so-as to hold the shaft in a rotatable position with respect to said ,tube. This shaft is by preference extended at its. upper endthrough a central 0 ening in the flange 19 and is secured to the ottom of the mem ber 17, so as to cause the latter to rotate with said shaft. To firmly hold the shaft 23 in an upright position, the platform 21 is provided with a depending hub 26,

' motor (not shown through the hollow of which the lower end of said shaft extends. Mounted on the-lower end of the shaft 23 is a horizontally disposed I friction disk 27, which engages a vertically rotatable disk 28 or roller on the main drive shaft 29, which may lead from an electric or any other suitable prime mover, whic may be located at any suitable oint. 1

Carrie on the upper surface of the latform 21 are a plurality of magnets 30, w ich are spaced apart and united in series by wire, 31, and each has its core 32 located the bottom 7 of the tank as is clearly shown, in-Figure 2 of the drawing.

- Fixed to the floor 13 of the basket 11 and fixed within the cone-shaped member 14 at" its lower portion is an armature or an annular metal casting 33, which'is slightly spaced at its lower art from the central portion of the floor .7 o the tank.

Y Mountedonthe wall of the clothes basket, by preference, at diametrically opposite points are a pair of tubes 34' and 35, which are vertically disposed along said wall, and

ortions extended horizontally towards sai casting, and their receivhave their lower ing or inner ends downwardly deflected and open in difl'erentdirections. The u per end of each of these tubes is located above the trough or gutter 8 and deflected outwardly, sons to discharge'thereinto.

The opening 12 in the clothes basket may be provided with a bead 12 for the purpose of; protecting the operator while placing garments or clothes in the basket or removmg them from injury.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings, it will be readily understood y supported for rotation on the flange 19 of the tube 18, andlby means of the bearing member 17 in such a way as to permit of free and rapid rotary movement of the clothes basket, which may be supplied with wet washed clothes or garments from which it is desired to extract the water or moisture. In the ra id rotation of the clothes basket 11, it is o vious that the load of garments or clothes may be unevenly distributed in said basket, and thus cause, or have a tendency to cause, the basketto hunt or to describe an uneven, not to say excessive, orbit 'or path around its pivotal support. .To prevent this objection is one of the main objects of the invention, and is accomplished by the use of the energized magnets 30 and the armature or casting 33, for it is manifest that, in the rotation of the basket,

the magnets which are energized through-the wire 31, leading from an electric source (not shown) will cause the casting 33 to describe a true circle around the ivotal support 18 ofthe basket, and thus e 'minate or reduce centrifugal action through the lower ends of the tubes 34 and 35, and from thence through their upper ends into the trough 8, from which it may be drawn 01$ for re-use or for discharge through the faucet 10 leading from said trough.

Surrounding the upper end of the coneshaped part 14 is a curved washer 36, which surrounds the rod 16 and is held in .place by means ofa spring 37 coiled around said rod and resting at one of its ends against thewasher :36, and at its other and against the washer 38, adjustably held in position on the spring. a

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is p In a rotary drier for clothes and the e tatably and pivotallymounted basket there- 1n, having erforations'in its wall, means .to rotate said basket, and magnetic means associated with said basket to prevent it vibrating excessively. I 1 4 the combination with a tank, of a roe.

upper end of said rod by means of a nut 39 used for regulating the tension of said- P0 I Having this fully described my invention,

2. In a rotary drier for clothes and the like, the combination with a tank having a faucet seated in its wall, of a rotatably and pivotally mounted basket within the tank having perforations in its wall, an annular trough located between the upper portion'of said basket and the wall of said tank and communicating with said faucet, a tube extending vertically along-side the Wall of the basket and then horizontally and inwardly thereof and secured to said basket, and means to rotate said basket, and means associated with said basket to prevent it wobbling. i

3. In a rotary drier for clothes and the like, the. combination with a tank, of a rotatably and pivotally mounted basket therein having erforations in its wall, means to rotate said basket, and means associated with said basket to prevent undue vibration thereof, said means including a magnetizable element carried centrally on the lower portion of said basket.

' 4. In a rotary drier for clothes and the like, the combination with a tank, of a rotatably and-pivotally mounted basket therein having perforations in its wall, means to rotate said basket, and means associated with said basket to prevent it vibrating, said last named means including an armature mounted on the lower portion of the basket around the pivot thereof and magnets mounted around said pivot below the bottom of said tank.

5. In a rotary drier for clothes and the member having an upright rod extendedthrough said opening, said bearing member being located in the top of said extension, anti-friction balls interposed between said bearing member and said flange, a curved washer mounted on the upper end of said extension around said rod, a spring surrounding said rod and resting at one of its ends against said curved washer, another washer surrounding the upper end of said rod and resting on said spring, a nut adjustably mounted on said rod, a shaft extended through said vertical tube for rotation therein and connected to said bearing member, a platform suitably supported at the lower portion of said shaft and vertical tube, means to rotate said shaft and basket, a series of magnets mounted on said platform, an armature around said shaft on the lower portion of said basket, and means to drive said shaft.

ARCHIE W. FARRELL. 

